Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-11
WAR ON The MOONsHINERS.
Increased Activity Among the Reeve
nue. Officers.

nue. Officers.
Green0iLle IS. CO. Coz. CA1rleston Nelos and
G u Ter.
The shooting of United States Deputy
Marshal Elkin, while on his way
to join party OF revenue
raiders near CLASSY Mountain a
few days ago, and the capture OF two
blockade whisky sellers at Piedmont on
saturday, recall to mind the time, ten or
twelve years ago, when such occurrences
were everyday happenings in this sec
ton. Those were the days when Red
mOnd, the bold outlaw and the hero of
bloody raids, was in the zenith of his
glory, and perhaps TO better Illustration
OF the change in the condition
OF the section from then to now
could be given than the picture
of the leader of the mOonshinars
as he then was and as he now Is. Then
he was the leader Of The MANI bold ana
desperate men who we're engaged in the
business Of cheating the government out
OF the TAX on the whisky they were dstill-
ing from the corn OF their fields. He mad
killed his man and price had been set on
his head, for which he was hunted aud
bounded - entlessly by the minlons OF
the Federal government. His name was
on every lip, thrilling accounts were given
OF his deeds OF daring, and what with the
graphic letters written to the News and
Courier by MICK" of bis mountain home
and the details OF mis- career, mis- notOriety
was hardly second TO that of the James
Brothers or Murrill, the hlghwayman.--
Now, the slide moves and the pictures
show the famous moonsniner peacefully
and quietly at work on his farm, in the
rugged mountain section of upper Pick
IN q health nd Wiz
wasted away by long term of contine-
ment In Albany penltentlary. The outlaw
who had detied the government from his
mountain businesses was content to petit
ton pIteOusly for pardon from Republi-
can President, and then to come home
and live the lie of a peace-lOving citizen.
In those days the section around CLASSY
mountain, spur of the Blue X dye,
crowned with a cliff of granite several
hundred feet high, was a tavOrite stamp.
ing ground" Of the mOonshineIs. Since
the general amnesty offered by the gov
eminent in 1876, and the arrest, trial and
conviction OF Redmond, however, the
business has declined. Shilling has been
carried on, out in a quiet way.
An occasional raid has suticed to
keep the section tolera0ly clear
These raids were not bloody ones, as
In the former times. when the revenue
officer was continually subject to danger
and peril, and when a RAID usually IN
sured one or more skirmishes with the
moOnshiners. 1t has come 70 be an I'M
usual thing for resistance 20 be offered,
and revenue raids have come to be more
like "picnlcs' than armed expeditions.
Then, too, much of the old prejud ces
against revenue officers has wOrn away,
since the appointment of home men to
those positions has given the service a
more savorv reputation.
Within q tTelvemOnth, however, the
blockaders Vesapparently sprung into
renewed activity, and the firing on Depu-
ty Marshal EIkin appears TO Indicate q
temperance of the Old spirit. The deputy
had Information that the ra ding party OF
Deputy Collector Black, which was in
the ighbOrhood OF CLASSY mountain,
was likely to be attacked, and had lett
the city in order TO Join the posse aud give
them warning. He was tirt d upon from
the rear while riding alone and
before reaching the party. Near the
same spot, last Sept ember a year ago,
party OF raiders was fired on
from the woods ana one of
the horses of the party wounded. COllec-
tor Black thinks he has given the bust
ness q severe blow around "Old CLASSY"
and Deputy Elkin declares he will 90
back and get ''his man." wnen he re-
covers from his wound. Col. Black
has since his appointment used pacific
policy in his work as deputy coll ctor,
but this last attack has induced him to
open q new "plan of campaign" and the
moonshiners will be handled without
gloves If the case should be repeated.
The Colonel is an old West Point man
and wears q fine war record, which in
sures efficiency on his part when decisive
measures are necessary.